This invention was principally motivated in addressing problems and improvements in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and in field emission devices, such as displays.
As DRAMs increase in memory cell density, there is a continuing challenge to maintain sufficiently high storage capacitance despite decreasing cell area. Additionally, there is a continuing goal to further decrease cell area. One principal way of increasing cell capacitance is through cell structure techniques. Such techniques include three-dimensional cell capacitors, such as trenched or stacked capacitors. Yet as feature size continues to become smaller and smaller, development of improved materials for cell dielectrics as well as the cell structure are important. The feature size of 256 Mb DRAMs will be on the order of 0.25 micron or less, and conventional dielectrics such as SiO2 and Si3N4 might not be suitable because of small dielectric constants. Highly integrated memory devices, such as 256 Mbit DRAMs and beyond, are expected to require a very thin dielectric film for the 3-dimensional capacitor of cylindrically stacked or trench structures. To meet this requirement, the capacitor dielectric film thickness will be below 2.5 nm of SiO2 equivalent thickness.
Field emission displays are one type of field emission device, and are utilized in a variety of display applications. Conventional field emission displays include a cathode plate having a series of emitter tips fabricated thereon. The tips are configured to emit electrons toward a phosphor screen to produce an image. The emitters are typically formed from an emitter material such as conductive polysilicon, molybdenum, or aluminum. Multiple emitters are typically utilized to excite a single pixel. For example, 120 emitters may be used for a single pixel. Individual pixels contain a deposited one of red, green, or blue phosphor.
Clarity, or resolution, of a field emission display is a function of a number of factors, including emitter tip sharpness. Specifically, sharper emitter tips can produce higher resolution displays than less sharp emitter tips. One adverse phenomenon impacting emitter tip sharpness is undesired native oxidation of the emitter tips during fabrication if exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere, such as room air. Such oxidation consumes material of the tips in forming an oxide and reduces sharpness and therefore clarity.